


Promise

by GoodJanet



Category: Mad Men
Genre: Confessions, Elevator Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 17:12:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3904321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodJanet/pseuds/GoodJanet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>People think I’m stupid, but I know when someone’s in trouble. I know what to look for.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

Don catches her in the elevator down on the day they announce their move to McCann. He can tell right away that she’s a nasty combination of angry and miserable.

“Oh, hello, Mr. Draper,” she says kindly, but lacking her usual sprightly verve.

“Honey, you know I’m taking you with me. There’s no need to pout.”

Meredith sighs.

“I know you said that nothing will change, and that we’re still going to be Sterling-Cooper. But frankly, we both know that’s not true. Things have been different already, and I hate it.”

If it had been anyone else, he’d think she was whining, but he knows Meredith is sincerely concerned.

“It’s going to be fine,” he soothes.

“Mr. Draper, I’m worried about you. You look sick, and I want to help you, but you won’t let me!”

 _Finally,_ she thinks. _The truth has come out._

At her little outburst, Don hits the STOP button, allowing them some time and privacy to speak freely.

Meredith looks at the floor, embarrassed and sad and disappointed in herself for not being smart enough or brave enough to know what to do. Don hooks a finger under her chin and looks right into those deep doe eyes. He’s had many secretaries before her; he knows how this works. He knows what they want to hear: “You can fix me,” “You can help me,” “You can change me.” It’s what every woman wants to believe about her man. Meredith just seems more persistent and genuine than the others.

“Sweetheart,” Don begins.

A fat tear rolls out from her eye, which Don slowly, gently wipes away.

“Sweetheart, I know you’re scared. Change is scary. But you don’t need to worry about me. I’ve been doing this for a long time. You’re going to be taken care of as long as you keep doing the job you’ve been doing.”

“Oh, can’t you see that this more than just a job? I’m worried about _you_. I notice things. People think I’m stupid, but I know when someone’s in trouble. I know what to look for. My-my brother, he did things like you. Disappearing, drinking, smoking, keeping so very quiet.”

She takes a deep breath, and Don allows her into his embrace.

“He’d never say what was bothering him or why or what we could do. Don, please don’t hurt yourself. I don’t want you to die too.”

Her words surprise him, but the accompanying tears make his stomach drop twelve feet.

“Shhh, shhh,” he murmurs, rocking her slightly.

Ten years ago, he would have had her fired immediately. He’d scoff and say something cruel. He’d push her away, ignore her. Everything changes. Nothing remains.

“Please,” she says. “Please promise me that you’ll move to McCann and stay in one piece. I don’t want to lose you.”

Don pulls away from her slightly to look her in the eye again. He hates to see her so tearful. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to her. She carefully dabs at her eyes and nose.

“Don…”

“You’re gorgeous. Do you know that?” he says, dark and low.

He feels her shiver.

“Don, please.”

“Your cute dresses and shiny eyes are enough to attract any man’s attention in that office.”

“Oh, Don, please promise.”

He pulls her thin frame close to him. Meredith gasps; he’s so strong.

“You’re such a good girl. You always know what I need.”

She squirms a little, trying to decide if she wants to get closer to or further from him, and she can feel that he’s hard. This is not how she ever imagined this happening. She tries one more time.

“Don, please let me help you.”

Suddenly, Don lifts her up and braces her back against the wall while he holds up her small body. There are big man’s hands running up her skirt and yanking down her panties. Her capable hands make quick work of his buckle and zipper, and before she quite knows it, he’s completely sheathed inside her.

“Oh, oh god, oh god,” she whines. “I can’t—I didn’t think...”

“Shhh,” Don says again. “Doesn’t this feel nice, honey? Let _me_ take care of _you_ now. Shhh. There you go.”

The wall of the elevator is uncomfortable against her back, but she tries to focus on the here and now. She savors all the whispers Don breathes into her ear and the quick work of his fingers and dick. 

She gets it. She gets it now, why all these men sleep around and cheat and lie. It feels so good. It almost feels like winning something.

She’s so close, but that voice at the back of her head pipes up again, nagging, reminding.

“Don? Please. Please?”

Meredith’s not sure if she’s being clear, but then Don starts thrusting wildly and his fingers are slick between her legs, and she can’t hold back anymore and neither can he. He grunts loud and low into her neck, and she swears she could almost come again.

It’s a little awkward setting clothes and hair to rights, but eventually they manage to look good enough to finish off the day. Don starts the elevator again.

“You’re a good girl, Meredith,” Don says when the doors open. “You’re going to be taken care of.”

She smiles. She can’t help it. She never can seem to help it when it comes to Don Draper.

It is only once he has strode away that she realizes she never got him to promise.


End file.
